After an incredible season last year, the current women’s soccer team is determined to keep the success alive and ready to get the ball rolling for the upcoming season.
“[The team hopes to] win the conference title, host the conference tournament and win the conference tournament championship,” wrote Kirsten Koester, head women’s soccer coach, in an email to The S&B.
Last season, the team finished tied for second in the league and lost in the tournament championship 0-1. While the team considered this a successful season, they are aiming higher this year.
“Last year’s success has helped us keep our expectations high,” wrote Lauren Hurley, senior captain, in an email to The S&B. “We know what we can accomplish and we want to push ourselves even further this year.”
With the graduation of the class of 2017, the team lost four strong players, including its leading scorers. Koester acknowledged the impact of losing these members, writing that she wishes they “could have kept last year’s seniors around for at least another season.”
However, with the departure of last year’s seniors comes the arrival of new hopefuls. Nine first year students have joined the team. According to Koester, they have a solid group of forwards who “are ready to prove themselves as offensive threats.”
Koester said that it’s definitely positive to have fresh faces on the team.
“Our opponents were familiar with [last year’s seniors’] tendencies,” she wrote. The new members seem ready to bring their own, different energy to the team.
The team members are also excited about the new faces.
“They showed up mentally, physically, emotionally,” said Valencia Alvarez ’20, a forward on the team. “I think that they will … make our team better than we were last year.”
As with all turnover, the arrival of new team members means regrouping as a team. Chemistry and unity is integral to succeeding as a team, but team members are not worried.
“People are going to be stepping into new roles, which is always an exciting time,” Hurley wrote. “It will definitely be a transition, but we’re confident that we’ll find a new rhythm. This type of unity will only benefit us as we start the season.”
Alvarez agreed. “We’re definitely trying to mold together, become closer and stronger as a team.”
All in all, the Pioneers are optimistic about women’s soccer team’s upcoming season. They have already started training with energy and excitement, and Hurley added that “preseason has been going really well.”
Koester told us to keep our eyes open for “an improved version of an already dynamic team.”